Employer-Paid

HCA Healthcare on Tuesday reduced its full-year earnings outlook, citing increased numbers of patients who lost coverage because of changes to the Affordable Care Act.

"Trust is a foundational element of health care today. To truly transform the system, we need to continue to deepen the provider-payer relationship," said Steve Nelson, Aetna's executive vice president and president.

In a lawsuit filed in September 2024, the FTC alleged that CVS Caremark, along with Express Scripts and OptumRx, used rebate systems that favored higher-cost drugs, driving up list prices and out-of-pocket costs for patients.

Executives at Elevance said cost increases are still high but within expectations.

The new health care price bill would set broader, more detailed requirements for an employer-sponsored health plan's self-service cost information tool.

The cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 is still expected to be higher than this year's.